Case Number 16670: Small Claims Court

TOM AND JERRY: THE CHUCK JONES COLLECTION

The Charge

Masters of the chase: Tom, Jerry...and Chuck.

The Case

The most entertaining cat-and-mouse duo returns to DVD once more, and this
time, they're engaging in battle Chuck Jones style! Warner's Tom and Jerry:
The Chuck Jones Collection offers 34 hilarious cartoons from the 1960s, and
here's what this two-disc set has to offer:

Disc One * "Pent-House Mouse -- Tom and Jerry battle it
out on the terrace of a glamorous penthouse. * "The Cat Above the
Mouse Below -- Jerry tries everything in his power to ruin Tom's gig as an opera
singer. * "Is There a in the Mouse? -- Jerry creates a magical potion
that helps him become invincible. * "Much Ado About Mousing -- Jerry
finds a protective friend who helps him in his battle against Tom. *
"Snowbody Loves Me -- Jerry has a blast in cheese paradise while Tom
desperately tries to survive the outside cold. * "The Unshrinkable
Jerry Mouse -- Tom picks a fight with a kitten, but Jerry makes sure nothing
happens to the innocent animal. * "Ah, Sweet Mouse-Story of Life --
No matter where they go, Tom and Jerry always find a place suitable enough to
carry out their feud. * "Tom-ic Energy -- Tom and Jerry take their
battle to the streets, where they run into a bunch of eccentric characters. * "Bad Day at Cat Rock -- Tom and Jerry go head to head at a
construction site. * "The Brothers-Carry-Mouse Off -- In this
episode, none of Tom's plans to catch Jerry seem to work out. *
"Haunted Mouse -- Jerry is visited by a magician who makes Tom's life a
living hell. * "I'm Just Wild About Jerry -- Just because the sun
sets doesn't mean Tom and Jerry will go to sleep... * "Of Feline
Bondage -- Tom goes nuts when Jerry drinks a potion that makes him invisible. * "The Year of the Mouse -- Jerry and one of his pals give Tom a really
hard time. * "The Cat's Me-Ouch -- Jerry hires some help to better
protect himself against Tom. * "Duel Personality -- Tom and Jerry
engage in an old-fashioned duel. * "Jerry, Jerry, Quite Contrary --
Jerry's quite the dangerous mouse when he's sleepwalking.

Disc Two * "Jerry-Go-Round -- Tom and Jerry battle it out
at the circus. * "Love Me, Love My Mouse -- Tom wants to impress his
crush with a mouse, but the female cat isn't impressed. * "Puss 'N'
Boats -- Captain Tom chases sailor Jerry around the harbor and boats. *
"Filet Meow -- Jerry protects a goldfish from the claws of a hungry Tom. * "Matinee Mouse -- Tom and Jerry attend a screening of "Tom and
Jerry."* "The A-Tom-inable Snowman -- A rescue dog helps Tom
back on his feet every time he's knocked out by Jerry. *
"Catty-Cornered -- Jerry battles two cats at the same time. *
"Cat and Dupli-Cat -- Tom faces a new competitor in the race to catch
Jerry: another cat! * "O-Solar-Meow -- Tom and Jerry take their
action to a space station. * "Guided Mouse-Ille -- Tom and Jerry
control mechanical versions of themselves on a distant planet in 2565 A.D.
* "Rock 'n' Rodent -- Jerry visits a mouse jazz bar, which obviously drives
Tom nuts. * "Cannery Rodent -- In this episode, Tom collides with a
hungry shark. * "The Mouse from H.U.N.G.E.R. -- Jerry heads out on a
mission to steal a fridge filled with cheese. * "Surf-Bored Cat --
Tom and Jerry go surfing. * "Shutter Bugged Cat -- Tom thinks he's
going to learn how to beat Jerry by watching footage of both of them fighting
each other. * "Advance and be Mechanized -- Tom and Jerry fall back
on their mechanical selves to battle each other on a distant planet. *
"Purr-Chance to Dream -- Tom engages in combat with Jerry and his little
dog friend.

Looks like quite the splendid collection, right? Diehard Tom and
Jerry fans will undoubtedly have tons of fun exploring all of these Chuck
Jones-produced cartoons, which differ slightly from the episodes of the previous
two decades. First of all, Tom and Jerry look a little different here, with the
cat getting thicker eyebrows and the mouse receiving larger eyes and ears. Just
compare some of these shorts to those of the 1940s and '50s, and you'll easily
be able to tell the difference.

Content-wise, Chuck Jones' collection of Tom and Jerry chases also
boasts several changes. Most of these shorts feature plenty of pop culture
references, and you'll also see some of these episodes have a recurring
psychedelic undertone. Furthermore, some of these cartoons are still a little
more violent than the more recent ones. Tom still expresses a strong desire to
eat Jerry, and they both don't shy away from inflicting a bunch of pain on each
other. Consequently, it shouldn't come as surprise that the back cover of this
DVD collection includes the following statement: "Tom and Jerry: The
Chuck Jones Collection is intended for the adult collector and may not be
suitable for children."

Violent or not, I remember watching most of these shorts as a kid, and back
then, they certainly didn't harm me in any way. My favorite episodes were
"Guided Mouse-Ille" and "Advance and be Mechanized," and
revisiting these jewels on DVD brings back some great feelings of nostalgia.
Plus, each of these great cartoons are still just as entertaining and hilarious.
Two other all-time favorites of mine are "Bad Day at Cat Rock" and
"Jerry, Jerry, Quite Contrary."

Tom and Jerry collectors should also be pleased to know that the
cartoons on this set are presented in a solid 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen
format. The image quality is mostly clean, and the colors strong enough for a
remastered version. The discs' audio transfers work just as well.

The bonus material on this set features "Chuck Jones: Memories of a
Childhood," an incredibly enlightening 26-minute documentary about Jones'
life, his inspirations and his fantastic career. Featuring plenty of
interesting, emotional interviews with the late animator, this piece is one you
shouldn't miss at any cost. His stories are compelling, his insight intriguing
and watching and listening to him reflect on his life proves to be quite a
wonderful viewing experience. The special features also includes "Tom and
Jerry...and Chuck," a 20-minute documentary that takes a closer look at how
Jones got to producing these Tom and Jerry episodes. Just as entertaining
and memorable as the previous piece, this one features additional interviews,
photographs, and a bunch of interesting trivia that will give viewers a better
insight into Jones' work.

The selection of cartoons alone makes Tom and Jerry: The Chuck Jones
Collection worth the investment. Packaged nicely and with more cat-and-mouse
action that you can possibly handle, this collection pays a solid tribute to one
of the greatest animators in history.